NCJ Number
123999
Journal
Teacher Magazine Dated: (May 1990) Pages: 57-59,62-63
Date Published
1990
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The 1987 National Crime Survey shows that nearly 184,000 people were injured as a result of school crime in one year, including staff, students, and visitors.
Abstract
No one really knows the number of teachers who are victims of violence nationwide. Many teachers are injured attempting to either break up student fights or halt robberies, however, not all teacher injuries are caused by students. The "psychic violence" against teachers -- the intimidation and verbal abuse -- is unmeasured, but nevertheless present in the classroom. Although some teachers quit after they have been victimized, most come back to school. Those most likely to give up are teachers who are new to the system and don't have much invested. Support programs, such as the Victim Support Program in New York City, help teachers over the after-shocks of crime, including "blame-the-victim" syndrome. Security measures in the school can carry high price tags; not all schools can afford on-campus police or metal detectors. Long-term remedies include intervention programs aimed at troubled students, stricter discipline policies, and the open sharing of information with classroom teachers about disruptive students.